Cookie Policy

Cookie Policy

Effective Date: May 1, 2026
Website: thatvelvetlady.com

1. Introduction

This Cookie Policy explains how That Velvet Lady (“we,” “us,” or “our”) uses cookies and similar tracking technologies when you visit thatvelvetlady.com (the “Site”). It tells you what cookies are, the specific types we place on your device, why we use them, and the choices you have to manage or remove them.

This policy should be read alongside our Privacy Policy, which provides broader information about how we collect and use personal data. By continuing to browse our Site, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Cookie Policy. If you are visiting from the European Union (EU), European Economic Area (EEA), or the United Kingdom, your continued use of the Site after being shown our cookie consent notice constitutes your consent to non-essential cookies, in accordance with the EU ePrivacy Directive, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), and the UK GDPR.

We may update this policy from time to time. The effective date at the top of this page reflects when the most recent revision was made. We encourage you to check back periodically.

2. What Are Cookies?

Cookies are small text files that a website places on your computer, tablet, or mobile device when you visit. They are widely used to make websites work properly, improve performance, and deliver information to the website’s owners.

Cookies do not contain executable code and cannot carry viruses or malware. At their simplest, they are just a short string of characters that identifies your browser to the site. There are two main categories based on how long they last:

  • Session cookies — These exist only for the duration of your browser session. They are deleted automatically when you close your browser tab or window. They are typically used to keep you logged in, remember items in a shopping cart, or maintain session state during a single visit.
  • Persistent cookies — These remain on your device after you close your browser, for a defined period (anything from a few days to several years, depending on the cookie). They are used to remember your preferences on return visits, to track behavior over time, and to serve more relevant content.

Cookies can also be classified by who sets them:

  • First-party cookies — Set directly by That Velvet Lady when you visit our Site.
  • Third-party cookies — Set by external services that we embed on our pages, such as Google Analytics, Instagram, Pinterest, or affiliate networks. We do not control these cookies; please refer to each third party’s own cookie or privacy policy.

3. Types of Cookies We Use

The table below gives an overview of the cookie categories in use on That Velvet Lady, followed by a detailed explanation of each.

Category Set by Purpose Typical Duration Can be opted out?
Strictly Necessary / Essential WordPress / WooCommerce Site functionality, security, login, shopping cart Session — 1 year No (required for the site to work)
Functional / Preference WordPress / That Velvet Lady Comment form data, display settings, language Session — 1 year Yes (with reduced functionality)
Analytics Google Analytics (Google LLC) Traffic analysis, audience insights Up to 2 years Yes
Advertising / Affiliate Tracking Amazon, LTK/RewardStyle, ShareASale, etc. Affiliate tracking, click attribution 24 hours — 90 days Yes (via affiliate network opt-outs)
Social Media / Embedded Content Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube Social embeds, video playback, content sharing Session — 2 years Yes (by blocking embeds in browser)

3.1 Strictly Necessary / Essential Cookies

These cookies are essential for the Site to function. Without them, core features — such as page navigation, secure areas, the shopping cart, and checkout process — would not work. Because they are strictly necessary, they cannot be switched off in our systems, and they do not require your consent under most privacy frameworks.

Examples of strictly necessary cookies used by our WordPress and WooCommerce installation include:

  • wordpress_logged_in_[hash] — Keeps you authenticated while you are logged in to the WordPress dashboard (relevant to editors and administrators only).
  • wordpress_sec — Security token used to authenticate admin actions and prevent cross-site request forgery (CSRF) attacks.
  • wp-settings-[user] — Stores user interface preferences for the WordPress admin panel.
  • PHPSESSID — A standard PHP session identifier used by the server to maintain session state during your visit.
  • woocommerce_cart_hash — Stores a hash of your shopping cart contents to ensure cart data remains consistent.
  • woocommerce_items_in_cart — Records whether there are items in the cart for session management.
  • wp_woocommerce_session_[hash] — Contains a unique session identifier for WooCommerce to link your cart and order data to your browsing session. Expires after 2 days.

3.2 Functional / Preference Cookies

Functional cookies allow the Site to remember choices you have made and provide enhanced, more personalized features. For example, they may remember your display preferences, or pre-fill fields in the comment form so you do not have to retype your name and email address each time you leave a comment.

Examples include:

  • comment_author_[hash] — Remembers your name when you submit a comment on a blog post.
  • comment_author_email_[hash] — Remembers your email address for the comment form (not shared with third parties).
  • comment_author_url_[hash] — Remembers a website URL you entered in the comment form.
  • wp_lang — Stores your language preference if a multi-language option is available.

If you block or delete these cookies, you may need to re-enter certain information on each visit, but the Site will still load and operate correctly.

3.3 Analytics Cookies

We use Google Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Google LLC, to help us understand how visitors interact with the Site. Google Analytics collects information such as:

  • Pages visited and time spent on each page
  • How you arrived at the Site (e.g., search engine, direct link, social media, Pinterest pin)
  • Your approximate geographic location (country or city level — not your precise address)
  • The type of device, browser, and operating system you are using
  • Whether you are a new or returning visitor

This data is aggregated and anonymized; it does not identify you personally. We use it solely to improve our content, understand our audience, and make better decisions about which fashion and style topics to cover. We have enabled IP anonymization (IP masking) in our Google Analytics configuration, meaning the last portion of your IP address is masked before it is stored.

The primary Google Analytics cookies are:

  • _ga — Distinguishes unique users. Expires after 2 years.
  • _ga_[ID] — Maintains session state for Google Analytics 4. Expires after 2 years.
  • _gid — Distinguishes users. Expires after 24 hours.
  • _gat — Used to throttle request rate to Google’s servers. Expires after 1 minute.

To opt out of Google Analytics tracking across all websites, you can install the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.

3.4 Advertising / Affiliate Tracking Cookies

That Velvet Lady participates in affiliate programs. This means that when we recommend a product or brand — such as a handbag, a skincare product, or a pair of shoes — and you click our link, a cookie may be placed by the affiliate network or merchant to track whether you subsequently make a purchase. If you do, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

We want to be transparent: we only recommend products and brands we genuinely believe in and that align with our editorial standards. Affiliate commissions help keep the site running and the content free.

Key affiliate programs we participate in, and their typical cookie windows, include:

  • Amazon Associates — Amazon places a cookie that lasts 24 hours from the time of the click. If you add an item to your cart, a 90-day cookie applies to that specific item.
  • RewardStyle / LTK (LIKEtoKNOW.it) — LTK places attribution cookies lasting up to 30 days to track product clicks and purchases from style content.
  • ShareASale — ShareASale places an attribution cookie lasting up to 30-90 days depending on the specific merchant program.
  • Other fashion and beauty affiliate networks — We may from time to time link to other brands through affiliate networks such as CJ Affiliate, Rakuten Advertising, or Impact. Cookie windows for these partners typically range from 7 to 90 days.

These cookies track clicks and conversions but do not collect sensitive personal information such as payment details. Please refer to each partner’s own privacy and cookie policy (see Section 4) for full details.

3.5 Social Media / Embedded Content Cookies

Some of our posts include embedded content — primarily Instagram posts, Pinterest pins, and YouTube videos — to showcase outfits, style inspiration, and product details. When a page containing an embed is loaded, the third-party platform may place cookies on your device, even if you do not interact with the embedded content.

  • Instagram (Meta Platforms, Inc.) — When we embed an Instagram post, Meta may place cookies to track engagement, personalize content, and (for signed-in Instagram users) sync interaction history. Relevant cookies include those set under the instagram.com and facebook.com domains.
  • Pinterest (Pinterest, Inc.) — Embedded Pinterest pins may set cookies related to content personalization and analytics. Pinterest’s Cookie Policy governs these.
  • YouTube (Google LLC) — When we embed a YouTube video, Google may place cookies to measure video performance, personalize suggestions, and (for signed-in Google users) sync viewing history. YouTube’s “privacy-enhanced mode” is used where possible, but some cookies may still be set. Relevant cookies include VISITOR_INFO1_LIVE, YSC, and yt-remote-device-id.

We do not have control over the cookies set by these third-party platforms once their embeds are loaded. You can prevent them from loading by using browser extensions that block third-party iframes, or by adjusting your browser’s cookie settings.

4. Third-Party Cookies — Specific Providers

The following third parties may set cookies on your device when you visit That Velvet Lady. We provide links to their privacy and cookie policies so you can review them directly:

We review these partnerships periodically. If we add new affiliate programs or analytics tools, we will update this policy accordingly.

5. Cookie Opt-Out Links

You have the right to opt out of certain categories of cookies. The following resources allow you to manage your preferences across participating companies:

  • Google Analytics Opt-out: Install the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on to prevent your visit data from being sent to Google Analytics across all websites you use.
  • Digital Advertising Alliance (DAA) — US visitors: Visit optout.aboutads.info to opt out of interest-based advertising from participating companies.
  • Network Advertising Initiative (NAI) — US visitors: Visit optout.networkadvertising.org to opt out of targeted advertising from NAI member companies.
  • Your Online Choices — EU/UK visitors: Visit youronlinechoices.com to manage your advertising cookie preferences under the EU and UK frameworks.

Please note that opting out of advertising cookies does not remove all advertising; it means you may see less relevant advertisements. Opting out of analytics cookies means we will have less data to understand how to improve your experience on the Site.

6. How to Control Cookies in Your Browser

In addition to the opt-out tools listed above, you can manage cookies directly through your browser settings. All modern browsers allow you to:

  • View cookies that have been set and delete individual cookies or all cookies
  • Block all cookies (including strictly necessary cookies)
  • Block third-party cookies only
  • Enable notifications when a cookie is about to be set
  • Clear all cookies when you close the browser (private/incognito mode does this automatically)

Instructions for managing cookies in major browsers:

  • Google Chrome: chrome://settings/cookies or visit Chrome’s cookie help page.
  • Mozilla Firefox: Firefox cookie management guide
  • Apple Safari (Mac and iOS): Go to Safari > Preferences > Privacy (on Mac), or Settings > Safari > Privacy & Security (on iPhone/iPad).
  • Microsoft Edge: Go to Settings > Privacy, Search, and Services > Cookies and Site Permissions.
  • Opera: Go to Settings > Advanced > Privacy and Security > Site Settings > Cookies.

Please be aware: If you choose to block or delete strictly necessary cookies, parts of That Velvet Lady may stop working correctly. In particular, the shopping cart and checkout process (if WooCommerce is active), comment forms, and any login sessions will be affected. Blocking third-party cookies will prevent Instagram embeds, Pinterest pins, YouTube embeds, and some affiliate link tracking from functioning as intended, but will not prevent you from reading any of our articles.

7. Consent (EU/EEA/UK Visitors)

If you are accessing That Velvet Lady from within the European Union, European Economic Area, or the United Kingdom, the following applies to you:

Under the EU ePrivacy Directive (the “Cookie Law”), the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), and the UK GDPR, we are required to obtain your consent before placing any non-essential cookies on your device. Strictly necessary cookies (see Section 3.1) are exempt from this requirement, as they are required for the fundamental operation of the Site.

When you first visit thatvelvetlady.com, you will be presented with a cookie consent notice. You may choose to:

  • Accept all cookies — including analytics, functional, affiliate tracking, and social media cookies.
  • Reject non-essential cookies — only strictly necessary cookies will be placed.
  • Customize your preferences — select which categories of cookies you accept.

You can withdraw or change your consent at any time by clearing your cookies in your browser and revisiting the Site, at which point the consent notice will be shown again.

We do not currently use a display advertising network (such as Mediavine, AdSense, or similar). If we introduce display advertising in the future, we will update this policy and our consent mechanism accordingly before placing any new advertising cookies.

The legal basis for placing strictly necessary cookies is our legitimate interest in operating a functional website. The legal basis for analytics, functional, affiliate, and social media cookies is your consent.

8. Cookie Retention Periods

The retention period for each cookie varies depending on its purpose. Below is a summary of typical retention periods by category:

  • Session cookies: Deleted when you close your browser.
  • WordPress/WooCommerce essential cookies: Session to 1 year, depending on the specific cookie.
  • Comment form cookies: Up to 1 year.
  • Google Analytics cookies (_ga): 2 years.
  • Google Analytics cookies (_gid): 24 hours.
  • Affiliate tracking cookies: 24 hours to 90 days, depending on the affiliate network (see Section 3.4 for specifics).
  • Social media embed cookies: Session to 2 years, depending on the platform.

You can delete any or all cookies at any time through your browser settings. See Section 6 for instructions.

9. Changes to This Cookie Policy

We reserve the right to update or modify this Cookie Policy at any time to reflect changes in the cookies we use, changes in applicable law, or changes to the services provided by our third-party partners. When we make material changes, we will update the Effective Date at the top of this page.

We encourage you to review this Cookie Policy periodically to stay informed about how we are using cookies. Your continued use of That Velvet Lady after any changes to this policy constitutes your acceptance of the updated terms. If the changes are significant, we may provide a more prominent notice on the Site.

Previous versions of this policy are available on request via our Contact Us page.

10. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Cookie Policy, or if you would like to exercise any of your rights in relation to the cookies we use, please get in touch with us via our Contact Us page.

We will do our best to respond to all inquiries as promptly as possible. For EU/EEA/UK residents, if you are not satisfied with our response, you have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection supervisory authority.

This Cookie Policy was last updated on May 1, 2026.